Category: GTT Atlantic Canada

GTT Atlantic Canada Conference Call Summary Notes, Accessible Low Tech Household Items, April 18, 2018

Get Together with Technology (GTT) Atlantic Canada

An Initiative of the Canadian Council of the Blind

Summary Notes

April 18, 2018

 

Attendance by teleconference: 11 people.

 

Theme: Accessible Low Tech Household Items

The topic was accessible low tech household items used for independence, daily living, hobbies and recreation.  Some of the devices used are, talking bathroom and kitchen weigh scales, timers, liquid level indicators, stacking measuring cups and spoons.

 

Some strategies discussed were, Fil the tea pot then pour into the kettle that way just enough water to fill the tea pot will be available to pour once it’s hot.

 

Other strategies were, Use jigs for woodworking, sticks cut to length for measuring and talking measuring tapes.

 

Some discussed the use of recipes where they write them in large print and/or they use a magnifier.  Today some are using devices like the Google Home for accessing recipes, conversions and timers.

 

Participants talked about devices like, stand-alone banknote readers and apps on their smart phones, as well as talking clocks, talking colour id and light detectors.

 

A discussion ensued regarding strategies for remembering phone numbers, which lead to the computer and smart phones being used to store and retrieve them.

 

We talked about the many resources available for learning the iPhone/Android smart phone.  Many tutorials are available for free online, as well as textbooks that can be purchased from a variety of sources.  For suggestions contact Kim Kilpatrick or Albert Ruel through the CCB National Office.

 

Some on the call indicated that Flip phones aren’t so good at receiving signals any more and are largely inaccessible.

 

Someone asked about the Google Home or Amazon Echo, are these things available to ADP programs? The answer was no as far as we understand it.  In BC a case might be made for some of these devices to be funded by Technology@Work if they were shown to remove barriers to employment.

 

A discussion was undertaken about application to CPP Disability, and the recommendation was to seek the support of a local advocate if denied access, or before applying.

 

Rachel told us about the upcoming CNIB internship program, and other employment related programs. It was acknowledged that even with Degrees it’s challenging to secure work against others with similar degrees and sight.

 

Going forward CNIB will increase its support of career and employment services, as well as assistive technology supports.

 

Someone asked about Apple disability support, so here is the list of the most used tech support lines:

For those who use access technology with the below noted systems, apps and devices, you may access free technical support by contacting Apple, Microsoft and Google using these toll free numbers/email address.

 

  1. Apple Accessibility Support

1-877-204-3930

 

  1. Microsoft Disability Answer Desk

1-800-936-5900

 

  1. Google Disability Support:

disability-support-external@google.com

1-855-971-9121

 

  1. Freedom Scientific

Toll Free Number: 1-800-444-4443

Support@VFO.com

 

Next meeting:

May 23, 2018 and focus on Apple accessibility.

 

GTT Atlantic Canada Conference Call Group Overview

  • GTT Atlantic Canada is a group of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
  • GTT Atlantic Canada promotes a self-help learning experience by holding monthly meetings to assist participants with their assistive technology needs.
  • Each meeting consists of a feature technology topic, and questions and answers about technology.
  • Participants are encouraged to attend each meeting even if they are not interested in the feature topic because questions on any technology are welcome. The more participants the better able we will be equipped with the talent and experience to help each other.
  • There are GTT groups across Canada as well as a national GTT monthly toll free teleconference. You may subscribe to the National GTT blog to get email notices of teleconferences and notes from other GTT chapters. Visit:

http://www.gttprogram.wordpress.com/

There is a form at the bottom of that web page to enter your email.

 

National GTT Email Support List

CCB sponsors a GTT email support list to provide help and support with technology for blind and low vision Canadians.  To subscribe to the email list, send an empty email to:

GTTsupport+subscribe@groups.io

[End of Document]

 

 

GTT Prince Edward Island Summary Notes, What is GTT and Brainstorming Session, February 28, 2018

GTT Prince Edward Island Conference Call Meeting

 

Sponsored by the Canadian Council of the Blind

 

Summary Notes

February 28, 2018

 

The first GTT  Prince Edward Island Provincial Conference Call meeting was held on February 28, 2018 starting at 7:00 PM PEI Time.

Attendance: 9 people attended this first brainstorming meeting.  Jude, Sandra, Stella, Serge, Nicholas, Irene, Brian, Phil and Albert.

 

Theme: Outline of what GTT is, and Brainstorming for future meeting topics

 

  • Albert Ruel, GTT Coordinator from CCB attended in order to introduce the participants to CCB’s Assistive Technology programs, especially the Get Together with Technology initiative (GTT) that Kim Kilpatrick started in Ottawa in 2011 with Ellen Goodman.
  • Brian Bibeault from the North Bay CCB Chapter and the Northern Ontario Conference Call GTT also attended, and they both talked about a variety of assistive Technology and their relative accessibility features.
  • The 9 participants were very engaged as they were lead through a discussion about the apps and devices currently being used, and what else might be available to support ongoing learning and support. We discussed the cost of screen readers like JAWS, and how it compares with the free screen reader called NVDA.  The differences between the range of talking book players produced by Humanware was discussed, with more to be talked about next month.  The topic of smart phones was also brought up, with more detailed discussions to follow during subsequent meetings.  Some educational resources were mentioned, like Hadley Institute and tutorials from Freedom Scientific.  Finally, the following contacts for tech support were shared: Apple Accessibility Support 1-877-204-3930; Microsoft Disability Answer Desk 1-800-936-5900; Google Disability Support, no phone number available: disability-support-external@google.com
    • The potential of inviting all blind and low vision people from the 4 Atlantic Provinces was discussed and the group was open to trying it out for a while to gage the level of interest in the region. If a GTT Atlantic Canada group eventually becomes too large we will be able to break it up into smaller Provincial groups then.
    • Before closing the meeting the group was asked to come up with a topic for the next, and subsequent meetings. So far, March will see a brief demo of and discussion about the features and benefits of the new generation VR Stream talking book player.  For April Sandra wants to have a demo of how to access websites using screen readers and magnification software.  As the Newfoundland group had requested a discussion on smart phones and the like, that too will be placed on the upcoming agendas.

 

Next meeting: Wed, March 28, 2018, 7:00 PM PEI Time.

Theme: VR Stream talking book device and smart phone technology.  This will be a basic introductory discussion on the features and benefits of using dedicated talking book devices like the VR Stream, versus the features of smart phone technology for our access to information needs.

 

GTT Atlantic Canada Conference Call Group Overview

  • GTT Atlantic Canada is a group of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
  • GTT Atlantic Canada promotes a self-help learning experience by holding monthly meetings to assist participants with their assistive technology needs.
  • Each meeting consists of a feature technology topic, and questions and answers about technology.
  • Participants are encouraged to attend each meeting even if they are not interested in the feature topic because questions on any technology are welcome. The more participants the better able we will be equipped with the talent and experience to help each other.
  • There are GTT groups across Canada as well as a national GTT monthly toll free teleconference. You may subscribe to the National GTT blog to get email notices of teleconferences and notes from other GTT chapters. Visit:

http://www.gttprogram.wordpress.com/

There is a form at the bottom of that web page to enter your email.

 

National GTT Email Support List

CCB sponsors a GTT email support list to provide help and support with technology for blind and low vision Canadians.  To subscribe to the email list, send an empty email to:

GTTsupport+subscribe@groups.io

 

[End of Document]